Seeing Red
by Amethystfairy1
Summary: Kiku has given up the fight, but his boss refuses to surrender. Anger clouds judgement, and Kiku finds himself struck down by more pain than he has ever suffered in his thousands of years of history. Kiku has shut out everyone in his world that mattered, so who would come to his aid now, when he most needs it? {WW2 fic, could be a touchy subject. Don't like? Don't read.}
1. Agony

**_Hey! Well, heres the reason I'm doing another of these, it's for a reviewer who's read many of my stories named Jean. They really like my East Asia fics, and even requested several ideas. Since they're a guest and I can't talk to them through PM, heres my reasoning behind not doing the other two they suggested._**

 ** _The suicide fic? Well, not that I can't write things like that, but I write for pleasure, and I don't really enjoy writing things like that. I'll still keep it in mind if I ever feel like trying my hand at that type of thing. As for the earthquake idea? Well, I never said I wouldn't do it, and I have actually been thinking of doing a Japan earthquake fic for a while now. Now, I know this is a very touchy topic for a lot of people, this does circle the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So if this is something you don't want to read about, don't read, and don't troll. I do not take this incident lightly, and nether should any other author writing on this topic with the Hetalia fandom. Also, I know that the attacks were three days apart from each other, I did my research to make sure everything was as historically accurate as possible, but I am taking a bit of creative license in this. Ok, here we go..._**

* * *

"Sir, we have too."

Kiku stood at attention in front of his bosses desk, and the man didn't even look up from his desk, covered with debts, strategies, and other documents.

"We have to continue. We will not accept defeat." The man growled, fisting one of the papers in his hand.

Kiku gritted his teeth, gloved hands held behind his back tightly balled, "But, sir. I can _sense_ it. Support for the war is waning, everyone is tired, everyone is finished. There's nothing left for us to gain by continuing! Germany and Italy have already surrendered. The remaining allies will crush us. Five of the worlds greatest super powers, that have been the worlds greatest for hundreds of years, and I have only recently gained super power status, I just cannot hope to compete."

"I can't believe this!"

The man slammed his palms down onto his desk.

"Even our countries representative is giving in! Well, I refuse! We are not backing down!"

"But..."

"Get out! You will fight this war to the finish! That is my final decision!"

Kiku swallowed hard, his throat was closing up, fear was clouding his mind.

"Something is going to happen. Something that isn't necessary. I know it will come to be so...we have to stop before it can come to pass. Please..." The representation began, hands shaking from where they were still hidden behind his back.

"Never!"

* * *

Kiku had returned to his home after this argument, and was sitting out on his back deck, drinking a cup of tea and trying to calm his nerves. The night was crisp and clear, the stars were shining and the moon was gleaming brightly. There was a slight breeze blowing through, fanning through Japan's bangs.

 _Does that man not understand I can feel the will of my people? I know something bad is coming. America came to me last I saw him and begged me to give up. I said I would speak to him about it. He looked so disturbed. Something is going to happen, America knows and that is why he tried to convince me to surrender. In my heart, I already have resigned myself from this war. But I don't know how to convince that man to put it down on paper._

Kiku sighed and lifted the cup to his lips again, taking a slow sip.

 _I've done many wrongs personally during this war. After what I did to Li Xiang, to Yong Soo. Even all those years ago to Yao. I don't know how to make it right._

Kiku made to refill his cup, reaching for the teapot set up on the deck next to him, when he heard someone coming down the path.

He nearly fell from the deck when he recognized the now solemn blue eyes, and the brown bomber jacket.

"A-America-san? What are you doing here? How did you even..." Kiku made to get to his feet, but before he could America put up both hands, showing he was unarmed.

Kiku settled carefully, eyeing the young nation distrustfully.

"My plane is almost there. But I can still stop it. I'll call it off in a heartbeat. Last chance. Surrender." America said simply, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kiku sighed, feeling a tug at his heart. America had come out here because he still wanted to resolve this without anymore bloodshed.

"I cannot." He admitted, shaking his head. America opened his mouth to retort angrily when the nation thousands of years his elder spoke again.

"You know that _I_ want to, that the majority of my citizens want to, but my boss..." Kiku trailed off as he came to his feet, looking down at the ground gravely.

"Dammit!" Alfred barked suddenly, tears coming to his eyes, he stomped his foot on the ground as if to drive his anger to into the earth.

"Nani?" Kiku looked confused as Alfred reached into the inside of his jacket and produced a radio.

"This is America. Do it."

America looked back up at Japan as he shoved the device back into his pocket.

"I hope we can still be friends, dude. I really wish there was another way."

His voice cracked and he turned and ran, the number 48 on the back of his bomber jacket visible in the night for several moments before he vanished down the forest path.

Kiku stared after him with growing worry causing his heart to thud strong in his chest. America had to have had one of his warplanes drop him here, to get so close to his home. Kiku was no fool, he knew America was quite possibly the most powerful of the Allied forces.

He decided to retire to bed, not wanting to remain outside after that grim visit from the western nation.

Kiku had just shut the door behind him when his chest tightened, causing him to stumbled and drop his teapot and teacup to the ground. They shattered, and the liquid remaining inside pooled across the wooden floor.

Hacking, Kiku stumbled past the mess and leaned heavily against the hallway wall, looking into the decorative mirror hanging there.

Twin mushroom clouds were reflected in his dark brown eyes, and it was then he was hit with the most unbearable agony he had ever endured.

America was still sprinting, tears flooding down his face as he made for the point he would be picked up by a returning warplane, and he heard Kiku's scream. He covered his ears and gritted his teeth and tried to block it out but he couldn't. His friend was in pain, it was all his fault.

He truly wished there had been another way.

Kiku's flesh felt as though it had been lit aflame, the edges of his vision were twisting. Kiku could feel burns shooting across his back and shoulders, he could feel the pain of thousands of his people being slaughtered, all at once.

Kiku's throat felt as though he'd just been breathing ash for hours. He'd just sprinted a marathon. He'd just swum across an ocean. Exhaustion and agony weighted his limbs.

After the first of the wounds began to stop coming, the burns stopped forming and the ash clogging the air all around him was thinning. There was no ash, but this was how taking even a single painful breath felt to him.

Leaned heavily on the wall opposite of the mirror, and, panting, knees shaking, he looked into the glass.

 _No surrender._

He felt the strong thought echo from his bosses mind.

"P-Please, d-don't, n-not again..." Kiku gasped, clutching at his chest.

His boss wouldn't give after that blow?

The agony ripped through him again, a second bomb had been dropped. Pain at such a level no human could have survived with going mad in it, clawed it's way up Kiku's throat.

Choking and coughing, Kiku spat blood onto the floor of his home, he felt wounds tear apart his chest, blood seeped into his kimono, he managed one last look into the mirror.

Mushroom clouds were again vivid in his chocolate brown eyes. Burning pain tore up his spine, wreaked havoc across his chest, he could feel the burns, the same as the ones his people were now suffering, scorching his body.

Kiku felt consciousness flee him, as everything he saw was painted red.

* * *

 _ **This will be a short three-four chap story, maybe less, but all the same, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Also I had the number on America's back be 48 because the war happened before Alaska and Hawaii were inducted into the union, so I figured it would make sense. Thanks for reading, please favorite, please follow, please review!**_


	2. Panic

_**Alright, I got some decent views on this so far, I got a review from the requester of this fic, I'm glad you like it! I was honestly just happy to have a good excuse to do another East Asia family angst fic. I love writing stuff like this. So, please enjoy the next chapter.**_

* * *

Yao was in the center of what could very well be the biggest party he'd attended in his life, and he'd been born before the calendar was even _invented!_

Soldiers and civilians, nations and humans, all of them danced together, sang together, cheered together. Because the most horrible war in world history was over, at long last, it was over.

Yet Yao couldn't find it in himself to celebrate whole heartedly. He was very glad the war was over. Immensely relieved there would be no more battles, no more bloodshed. At last his people could relax, finally, everyone could relax. No more war to worry about. Yet he still felt something clamoring for his attention. Though Italy had even arrived at the party with Romano, the two were welcomed warmly because they, as people, hadn't wanted the war to start in the first place, on the other hand, Germany had been called about twenty seven times.

China had been keeping count.

The nation had answered the first time, and politely declined the invite. He's ignored the rest of the calls. With the Italians, who didn't care if the party was celebrating their own defeat, as long as it was a party, they'd show. Germany, naturally, would become a hermit for the next couple months, possibly a year, before returning to the world meetings and conferences, and eventually attending the many social events the nations had across the time, one by one until he was always in the background, with a mug of beer in one hand, and a look bordering on contented on his face.

But Japan had been left entirely alone. The nations hadn't spoken a word about him, but it was the elephant in the room.

 _How badly is Japan hurt after this?_

Yao thought, continuing his worrying.

It had been two days since anyone had heard from Japan, of course, that wasn't unusual when Japan was healthy, but still. America personally had called him over one hundred times, but it was very possible that Japan was ignoring his calls.

 _I'm sure Japan's just recovering over a pot of tea and a large stack of books._

China tried to convince himself.

It didn't work, and after another half hour, he was fed up.

"Everyone, aru!"

Yao walked over to the other four allies, France and England were both drunk off their rockers, America was laughing like a maniac, and even Russia was in on the fun, his usual cheery smile even brighter because no one was terrified of his presence. Vodka, beer, wine, whiskey, you name it, it was on the table and each of the nations had had more then a sip.

"What up, China, bro? Come party with us! We just won a war! Time to celebrate!" America cackled.

"America, I apologize, aru. I have to go. I'll see everyone at the next world conference, alright?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess since the war's over that means no more Ally meetings, huh?"

"Correct."

"Non non!" France cried, swaying to one side and leaning on England.

"We can still get to...get...her, oui? We will...right? Despite there being no fight?"

"Quite, quite..." England mumbled, an arm over France's shoulder, swirling his glass of whiskey.

"Rhymes..." Russia giggled creepily, perhaps he'd been hitting the vodka.

"Ok, just don't bring any alcohol and I'll be there, aru. Goodbye."

With that, Yao turned and left the party, sidling along the edge of the wall to get to the door.

* * *

Yao approached Kiku's modest two story home and saw nothing wrong. Everything appeared normal, there was no sign of forced entry, or any other worrisome signals. The image of the house half burned down with blood stains all over the front lawn, which was what Yao had built up in his overly protective and concerned mind, was dissipated. China couldn't help but sigh with relief that it wasn't as bad as he had imagined.

He arrived at front door and knocked.

"Ni hao, Kiku! I've come to check on you!"

No reply.

"Kiku?"

He repeated.

 _Perhaps he isn't home..._

Yao thought, chewing his bottom lip as he knocked a bit harder.

"Kiku!" He yelled one more time.

Still no response.

 _He must not be home..._

Yao thought, but he still felt something gnawing at him, telling him to investigate a bit more.

Wandering around to the back porch, Yao realized he'd only been to this house a handful of times. When Kiku had gotten older, he'd had to attend more national affairs, therefore, he needed a house closer to his capital to stay in, as he very well couldn't make the trip from China's and back.

Yao had helped him select this place, and he'd come over a few times for dinner with the rest of his siblings before...before Japan had gone his own way.

Yao shook this particular memory from his head, and scrutinized the back deck.

Everything seemed normal, except one little thing that stuck out to Yao. Something nobody but the person who had raised the japanese nation and known him his entire life could have noticed.

The deck was a mess, covered with leaves and cherry blossom pedals.

 _But Kiku sweeps his back porch every morning! I know it because that used to be one of his chores when he lived with me! It's like his OCD!_

Yao's brotherly instinct went through the roof.

"Kiku! Kiku! If you can hear me, please answer! Please!" Yao begged as he ran to the back door and pulled at it hard.

To his great surprise, it opened without issue, it wasn't locked.

Yao inhaled hard at what he saw.

Kiku had collapsed in the hallway, on his stomach with one arm trapped beneath him and the other thrown out to the side.

 _He'd still been conscious when he fell, he tried to catch himself on the wall, but didn't have the strength..._

Yao thought as his frantic eyes darted across the scene, piecing it together in his mind.

 _Kiku must have been out on the porch, and was on his way inside with his tea when the bombs were dropped. The pain hit him right here._

Yao stepped over the stained carpet, a vivid image of Kiku being struck with such a sudden torturous pain that he'd stumbled, teapot and teacup smashing on the floor, flashing in front of the older nations eyes.

Yao stopped again over the body that lay still as death on the floor. Hardened blood caked his kimono and puddled around his mouth, it had trailed from his chin, Kiku had passed out, and hadn't wiped it.

Finally, China snapped out of his horrified trance.

"Kiku!"

Yao wailed as his eyes grew wide and panicky, falling to his knees at his little brothers side.

He carefully rolled Kiku onto his back and wiped the blood from his face with the green sleeve of his military uniform. Kiku was frighteningly pale, and his chest was still as stone.

Frantic, Yao bent and put an ear to the left of Kiku's chest.

He was rewarded with the weak pounding of the heart that still stubbornly kept the nation alive.

Silently thanking every single god and deity that he could think of, Yao leaned back to shift his weight onto the balls of his feet.

As if handling glass, Yao lifted Kiku from the ground and carried him into the living room, where a long, comfortable looking couch was.

Yao laid Kiku onto the couch and raced around the house for the next fifteen seconds in a panic before finally finding the phone in the kitchen.

He dialed in the number in a heartbeat, and the receiver picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Get the others."

"What?"

"ALL of the others."

"Like, who is this?"

"Yao!"

"Oh, Gege, sup?"

"Get the others and get to Kiku's house. Right now. Bring bandages. First aid kit. Painkillers. Hell, bring an entire hospital. Have the others do the same."

"Wait, slow down. What about Kiku? Everyone? Even..."

"YES."

"Already on my way."

* * *

 _ **Thats it. Please favorite, please follow, please review! Thanks!**_


	3. Unison

_**Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy!  
**_

* * *

Kiku let out a low moan as sunlight sliced into his world of darkness. Slowly, his eyes creaked half opened to see he was lying in his bedroom.

He attempted to sit up but quickly realized that his wounds were to bad, and that the many bandages around his back and abdomen were to tight for him to sit up.

Kiku could tell this had been done on purpose. To make sure he couldn't force himself. The next few moments were spent in a peaceful, oblivious state, dazed and confused about how he'd even gotten here from the deck where he'd been drinking his tea, and how exactly he'd managed to get himself this badly injured. Of course, the blissful ignorance couldn't last forever. Kiku's eyes flew wide and tears raced to the corners of the chocolate brown orbs.

Then the memories came flooding back, smashing into his mind like a tidal wave.

 _So many dead, all my fault..._

Kiku gritted his teeth, he could guilt and brood later, now he had to figure out who had come into his house and helped him.

His first thought was Germany and Italy, but they both had to much to worry about themselves. America wouldn't have kept him in his house, he would have taken him to a hospital. Greece would have taken Kiku back to his own home, where he had an abundance of medical supplies. Turkey would have done the same as Greece.

Kiku wouldn't have to wonder much longer, because he could hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

Instantly, he closed his eyes, faking unconsciousness. He did not want to reveal he was awake before he knew the situation.

The door slid open and the person entered, and it appeared that he was accompanied.

"I swear, he moaned. I, like, totally heard it." The first voice came, younger and laid back.

"Shut up and get out. You making up him waking up won't help. I'll change the bandages on his chest, you go get some sleep, you've been up all night." A deadpanned, serious voice ordered sternly.

"Like you weren't." The first one replied.

"Shut up."

With this, the first voice left, and the second remained, Kiku controlled his breathing, hoping he would get the chance to hear more.

Kiku felt the person pull back the covers. It was a minor and rather late discover to the bedridden nation that he was shirtless, though he could tell he was wearing pants. The many layers of bandages mostly negated the need for a shirt anyway.

"You know, you moron..."

The person began as he carefully removed the bandages criss crossing the worst of the burns on Kiku's chest.

"You're supposed to be older, remember? You're the one who's supposed to fix our messes, bandage our boo boos and convince us it's gonna be ok. Now look at you. I feel like the only one responsible person on the eastern end of continent. Person, not country. Ok, maybe not more then Gege. Definitely more then my idiot twin..."

The person continued to muse.

For Kiku, the last statement had been a dead giveaway.

Opening his eyes slowly, he sounded out the name without even realizing it was leaving his mouth.

"North...?"

"HOLY..."

Kiku blocked the rest of North's words and allowed them to slide from his awareness like raindrops from a ducks back, as they were rather inappropriate.

He tuned back in as the sentences narrowed down into less four letter words.

"Kiku! You're awake!"

Kiku still couldn't process how or why his most closed off sibling had come when he was hurt.

"Hyung..." Kiku's throat felt scorched, and speech was difficult.

"Yeah? You need anything? Hungry? Thirsty? You gotta be, you've been out for nearly three days! It was two days before Gege even found you here, passed out on the floor!"

Now that part Kiku remembered, but he managed to stay on track.

"Why...you here?" He coughed after this, hating how pitiful he looked.

"Oh...no..." Kiku began as he felt whatever was left in his stomach climbing up his throat, laced with clotted blood.

"Wha...oh. Clear the way!"

Hyung Soo pulled Kiku up, dragging his arm over his shoulder, and pulled him the few feet into the bathroom.

After Kiku had hacked up the majority of whatever it was that was still in his stomach after so long with no food or water, Hyung passed him a towel from the closet.

Wordlessly, Kiku wiped his mouth, still sputtering, he winced when the towel was speckled with blood. He let out a groan against his will as he slumped backwards, surprised to find a pair of arms receiving him, helping keep him upright.

"You're probably just coughing up blood and water. You took a hard hit."

Hyung Soo said with a gentle voice that betrayed his usual hardened exterior as he wrapped an arm around Kiku's shoulder again and mostly carried him back to bed.

Kiku wanted an answer, but he couldn't really make his mouth obey him at the moment, he struggled with this as Hyung Soo laid him back onto the bed, pillow under his head. Kiku gave up after a few failed attempts at speech, and just lay with a grimace on his face as Hyung Soo resumed the task of replacing his bandages.

Thankfully, Hyung Soo appeared to have heard him the first time, and spoke as he worked.

"I'm here because no matter how much you screwed up over the years, you're still my older brother. Hell, I've screwed up plenty too, yet here I was getting a call from Li Xiang at freaking 2:30 in the morning to shove as many medical supplies as I possibly could in a bag at get my ass over to your place ASAP because you were about to croak." Hyung Soo chuckled.

Kiku raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Not exactly true, your life wasn't in any danger by the time me and Yong got here, but it did get me out of bed pretty quick. I ran out the door with my shirt half buttoned and my hat on backwards because I was under the impression that you were about to kick it."

Hyung Soo shrugged, "I honestly didn't expect any calls from any of you anymore."

He looked down at Kiku with a spark in his chocolate brown eyes.

Another late observation for Kiku was how, he was just now realizing, the twins's eyes weren't just identical to each other, but they were identical to his own as well. Empty pupils completely encircled by dark brown.

He really was their older brother.

Kiku _hated_ how hard he'd tried to change that, how long it took him to realize it.

"Guess we both were forgiven without even realizing it, eh?" Hyung Soo said suddenly.

Kiku didn't respond for two reasons, the first was because he didn't have anything to say, and the second was because his throat hurt so badly he was struggling with simply breathing normally.

Still, he attempted to respond, managing a strained, incoherent syllable before his younger brother shook his head.

"Don't. You get it, you understand."

Hyung Soo sighed and pushed himself to his feet. He wore a brown military uniform with overly long sleeves, and a flat topped black cap. His braided ponytail was the only way to tell him apart from Yong Soo, after all, they were identical twins.

"I'll go tell the others you're awake."

With this, he vanished out the door.

Kiku laid back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if seeing Hyung Soo had been nothing but a sick mans hallucination.

This was when he heard from downstairs.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! KIKU'S AWAKE AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO!"

After this there was a large amount of yelling, Kiku made out an 'Aii-yah' and someone fell onto the ground, because he heard the thud of a body hitting the floor. Then he heard an even larger thud after that, telling him the _more_ people had fallen on the floor.

Not a dream, after all.

* * *

Hyung Soo walked into the living room of Kiku's house and saw all of his siblings were asleep on or near the couch.

Yong Soo was sprawled on the floor, spread eagle, Yao was sitting up, but his head was slumped over. Mei Mei was curled up with her head resting in Yao's lap, Yao with an arm over her shoulder, and Li Xiang, who, though the youngest, was the tallest of the family, was lying on his stomach on the couch, one arm dangling off the edge, the other tucked under his head, sound asleep.

 _I hate to do this...ok, maybe I don't..._

Hyung Soo smirked, took a deep breath, and yelled.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! KIKU'S AWAKE AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO!"

"Aii-yah!" Yao yelped, jumping as Mei Mei sat bolt right up and cried out.

"What? Kiku's up?"

Li Xiang tumbled onto the floor from couch with a shout, only to bang his head on the coffee table when he tried to sit up, and Yong Soo was on his feet in an instant.

"What happened!?" He demanded, racing around the couch only for his foot to catch on the lip of the carpet and him to fly headfirst into his twin.

"WATCH IT IDIOT!" Hyung Soo wailed as the two of them thudded to the floor in a tangle of crazy long sleeves.

"Kiku's up!?" He demanded.

Hyung Soo sat up, Yong Soo lying across his lap, propped up on his own white cloaked arms.

"Calm down, moron. Kiku's awake. But he's in bad shape. He was barely up for two minutes before I had to drag him into the bathroom so he could hurl. He seemed really surprised to see me. I guess he just thought that no one cared enough to come out here and take care of him."

Hyung Soo explained.

"I'm going to see him." Mei Mei declared instantly.

"Same." Li Xiang stood from the floor and made for the stairs behind his sister.

"I want to come, da-ze." Yong Soo demanded, still sitting on his brother.

"He actually knows I'm here, so I'm going back up there." Hyung Soo said, shoving Yong Soo off of him and walking for the stairs, Yong Soo scrambled to his feet and was right behind him.

Yao grabbed the back of their shirts and shook his head.

"To many people will overwhelm him. We'll all get to see him, but let's wait until Mei Mei and Li Xiang are up there for a bit before we go ourselves. Alright?"

The twins begrudgingly agreed.

"Fine, but as soon as they're done I'm going up!"

In perfect unison.

They stared at each other in shock, both had their arms half raised in question, they had done that all the time when they were younger, but they had grown distant as they had grown older.

"Hey."

It would have been impossible for a blind man to tell that two people were speaking instead of one.

"Hey!"

Four fists were made and raised.

"Stop it!"

Two pairs of arms were thrown back, two pairs of shoes stomped forward at the opposite.

"No, you stop it!"

Glares were formed.

"Are you a mind reader!?"

Arms were crossed.

"Seriously, stop!"

Arms were tossed into the air.

"Cut it out!"

Laughter graced the tense air of the household.

Both of the twins had burst into laughter, grinning, and Yao smiled.

"It's been a while." Hyung Soo said simply.

"To long." Yong Soo agreed.

The two stared at each other the next few moments, every detail in the others face was suddenly matching up. Same features, same eyes, same wayward hair curl.

"We...really are the same." Hyung Soo said after a long pause.

Yong Soo nodded slowly.

Yao couldn't believe it, in the wake of this tragedy, that something a beautiful, as his two younger siblings who used to always be together.

Yong Soo had cut his hair to look more like America's, while Hyung Soo kept his long braid.

Yong Soo suddenly smiled softly.

"Y'know, I'm kinda thinking of growing my hair out again. I could probably get it back out to how long it was before within a year."

Hyung Soo returned the kind expression.

"Funny you say that, I was thinking of cutting mine short. Try to look a bit more modern."

"You'd look good with short hair, da-ze."

"I know, I've got a demo right in front of me."

"Are you saying I look good?" Yong Soo asked, humored.

Hyung Soo sniffed, "Well, I certainly can't say you're ugly, cause if I say you're ugly, I'm saying that I'm ugly too!"

"True, da-ze!"

The two were smiling, together, face to face, after so very long.

* * *

 _ **I couldn't resist some twin bonding. I know this story is focused around Japan, but the opportunity was just way to good to pass up. Well, please favorite, please follow, please review!**_


	4. Connection

_**Next chapter up, please enjoy!**_

* * *

Upstairs, Li Xiang and Mei Mei were standing and staring at the door that led into Kiku's room.

"I feel kinda sick." Li Xiang murmured.

"It can't be anything compared to how Kiku feels right now." Mei Mei responded.

"True." Li Xiang sighed.

"Alright..."

Mei Mei took a deep breath, her chest billowing up under her pink and cream dress.

She slid the door open slowly.

"Kiku...?" She whispered.

"I am awake."

Came the monotone reply, since Hyung Soo had left, Kiku had gotten his voice under control, and was managing the pain in his throat well enough to speak clearly.

They slowly entered to see Kiku propped up on one elbow with a hand to is head, face fixed in a grimace.

"No no no!" Mei Mei rushed forward when Kiku attempted to sit up straighter, pushing him back down onto his back. Kiku's eyes went wide at the sudden objection.

"Lie down, you just woke up, you're in no shape to be getting up."

"I'd be pleased with sitting up, at the moment." Kiku grumbled in reply.

"Well you're gonna have to deal with it, then." Mei Mei replied sternly.

This was when she realized she had one hand on Kiku's shoulder, and the other gently resting on his chest.

Kiku stared up at her with a blank expression, Li Xiang peered through the half open door from the hall, and Mei Mei let out a slow breath.

"You know, I really missed you." She said slowly.

Kiku's eyebrows shot up in surprise before quickly leveling again, his emotionless mask back in place.

"I do not know what you would miss me for. I did many things I am not proud of."

"So did I. So did Gege. So did all of us." Mei Mei replied.

 _What did I do!?_

Li Xiang demanded in his head, but decided not to ruin the moment by voicing his question.

"Well, I'm not going to try and sit up, so you can stop pinning me down now."

Kiku pointed out.

"Oh! Yeah! Sorry..." Mei Mei quickly pulled her arms to her sides, fluttering them around for a moment, unsure of where to put them, before folding her hands in her lap.

The two were trapped in awkward silence for several seconds.

Li Xiang decided it was time he swooped in and saved the day.

"So, Kiku, what exactly happened?"

Kiku's mask yet again slipped when Hong Kong entered the picture, but before he could react any further, his face was blank yet again.

He thought back.

"How long was I out again?"

Kiku questioned.

"Three days. Two you were here alone and no one knew, and then Gege came to check on you, he was worried. When you didn't answer to door, he walked around back and the back door was open. You were lying on your stomach in the hall, covered in blood with a smashed tea set behind you."

"The tea set...now I recall..." Kiku murmured.

"Well, I had spoken to my boss...four days ago?"

Li Xiang nodded confirmation to this, assuming this had been the same day Kiku had been attacked.

"I tried to get him to surrender. He refused. So I went home and had a pot of tea on the back porch, trying to calm myself down after the tense meeting. I felt something off. I knew something bad was going to happen. But I had no control, my boss had refused and I could do nothing to convince him."

Mei Mei nodded, this thought warmed her slightly, Kiku hadn't wanted the war to go this far either.

"America showed up."

"America!?" Li Xiang yelped in shock.

Kiku nodded stiffly.

"Hai. He walked out of the forest randomly. Told me to surrender. I said I wanted too, but my boss refused. He cursed before speaking into a radio set in his pocket 'This is America, do it.' I had no idea what he was talking about then, but I now see that he was ordering the bombings." Kiku shook his head slowly.

"I was unnerved by his sudden appearance, after he spoke he turned and sprinted away into the trees. I stood and went inside the moment he was gone. I had just closed the door behind me, I don't recall if I locked it or not."

Kiku grimaced at the next memory.

"I was in the hall when a burning sensation spread through my body. I dropped my tea set, it smashed on the floor."

Kiku crushed his eyes tightly shut.

"I stumbled over them and walked to the hallway mirror. I looked in and I could see...mushroom clouds in each of my eyes."

"What?" Mei Mei and Li Xiang both said this in unison.

Kiku shook his head again.

"I have no idea, I had never experienced it before. After that came the unimaginable pain. After the first attack subsided I tried to steady myself. I had no time before the second one was dropped. Twice the pain struck me, I fell up against the wall. The last thing I remember is looking into the mirror as I was collapsing. The same mushroom clouds were in my eyes. They...are gone now, right?" Kiku asked this question with uncertainly on his face, looking his younger sister in the eye.

Mei Mei did not hesitate.

"Yes, there's nothing. They're just normal brown, same as they have always been."

Kiku nodded, sighing with relief.

"That is good. After seeing them in my eyes, the world turned red. I couldn't see anything but red, everywhere. Not long after that I passed out. Now my vision is back to normal."

Mei Mei smiled gently.

"I'm on call duty. Just about every nation in the world has been ringing us up, asking how you were. Italy's called at least once every two minutes for the past ten hours, trying find out if you were awake yet. We've been ignoring all the calls until we had something to tell them. Now that you're awake, I'll let everyone know."

Mei Mei got to her feet gracefully, slipping onto the balls of her feet and extending her legs to rise to her full height.

"You know, you always insist you're so alone. But Kiku..."

She turned and smiled once more at her brother.

"Even _Switzerland_ called."

This mere fact was enough to cause Japan's eyes to widen.

"I know, I was surprised too." Mei Mei chuckled before leaving the room.

This left Li Xiang and Kiku in the room alone.

After waiting a few seconds to see if Kiku had anything to say, Li Xiang got to his feet.

"Well, since you seem alright, I'll head on down, the twins are probably gonna burst in after I leave though."

With a sideways glance, the city personification made for the sliding door.

"Li..."

He froze in his tracks at the door.

"Hmm? Need something?"

Kiku let out a shaky breath.

"I...I apologize. For what happened over the win..."

"Don't mention it. The past is the past. The future is the future."

Li Xiang left the room with a final thought echoing through the room.

"But we can change the now. We can do whatever we please with it, after all, why do you think they, like, call it the 'present'?"

Kiku stared after him as Li Xiang vanished down the stares.

Less then an instant later, Kiku was overwhelmed by Yong Soo's yelling and crying and laughing, and Hyung Soo's yelling and punching and laughing.

But he didn't forget what had been said. Kiku swore he never would.

* * *

 ** _Yeah, that chapter was a bit tough, I tried to get a bit deep with Li Xiang's last sentence there, but I dunno if it seemed to forced. Well, please favorite, please follow, please review! Thanks!_**


	5. Protective

_**In this chapter I really tried to represent the nations more as people instead of actual nations. Like how Japan didn't surrender, but Kiku wanted to, or how Italy waged war, but Feliciano and Lovino didn't want to? That's was I was aiming for in this story, so here's the next chapter, please enjoy!**_

* * *

"Yes, Switzy, he's awake. It'll be a while, but he'll come around."

"Don't call me that! Anyway, I only called because Liechtenstein was worried. I don't care at all."

"I'm sure. See you at the next world meeting."

"I suppose."

"Bye."

"Good day."

Taiwan hung up on Switzerland's number, only to dial in another.

 _This is gonna take awhile._

She though to herself as she tucked the phone up to her ear, under a curtain of silky brown hair.

"Hello?"

"This is Taiwan, I'm returning your call."

On the other end of the line, Taiwan heard an amount of yelling.

"IS JAPAN AWAKE A-YET!?"

"IMBECILE I'M ABOUT TO ASK HER THAT!"

Germany's voice then returned to the phone.

"Is Japan feeling any better?"

"Oh, yes, he just woke up."

On the other end, Germany let out a relieved sigh.

"That is good to hear. Tell him Italy and I wish him to get well soon, ja?"

"I will tell him. I'll have him call you when he feels up to it, he's still resting in bed."

"Ja, I would appreciate it."

"Alright. Goodbye."

"Thank you for calling. Goodbye."

Mei Mei hung up the phone and checked for who else had called. After filing her way through most of Europe.

Poland had held her for a good fifteen minutes to discuss fashion. (Not that Mei minded the break)

At long last, Mei Mei reached North America. None of the South American countries had called, but then, not many of them had ever even spoken to Japan. Mexico had called, she responded to him the same way she had with the other nations, with thanks for his call and his worry, and a promise to tell Japan that he wished him all the best.

After this she came across another number.

"Huh? Canada? Must be one of those tiny nations..."

She mused as the phone rang.

"'Ello?"

"Hey...Canada is it?"

"Hi! I called to check in and see how Japan is doing, eh?"

"Um..he's woken up, but he's still resting."

"That's mighty good to hear. Let me and the other's know when he's up and a'boot, everyones real worried."

"I will."

"Tell him all of us up here hope he gets well soon."

"I will, thank you for calling."

"No problem. Thank you for returning the message. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

After she'd hung up, Taiwan stared at the phone again, frowning.

"Somewhere up north, right? I need to look him up later."

She murmured to herself as her eyes scrolled down the list she'd jotted down when the people had called the first time. She placed a check mark next to Canada's name and number.

"Lets see, the only guy left is..."

Mei Mei found herself glaring at the words on the page.

America.

"Well, I think it's fair to both parties that he wait for a little bit."

She muttered, making to put down the phone.

Then she found her conscious talking.

 _He was warranted. You can't act like Kiku was totally innocent in this. He did horrible things during this war. Every nation involved did._

Sighing, Mei Mei lifted the phone to her ear again.

After a few rings, the other end picked up.

"This is America!"

"Hello, America, Taiwan speaking." Taiwan replied stiffly. Despite the horrors her brother had committed, she still felt defensive of him.

"Taiwan! Oh, finally, how's Kiku?"

 _How DARE he use his human name._

Fiery protectiveness of her injured brother flared, but Taiwan reigned in her emotions.

"He's regained consciousness." She said through gritted teeth.

"Thank god. I know Kiku didn't want to fight anymore, he'd given up months ago. But his boss just wouldn't quit. My President couldn't let it drag anymore."

Taiwan's eyes narrowed.

"Well, if that's all, then I have to go and check on my brother."

A surprised gasp came from the other end of the line.

"Dude, your related? I always thought you were dating!"

"Gross!" Taiwan yelped, taken aback.

"Japan is my second oldest brother! It's China, Japan, the Korea's, me, and Hong Kong!"

"Oh, all of you are related! Makes sense." America sounded like he understood the idea.

"So, if we're done I'll just..."

"Wait. Is it possible for me to talk to Kiku?"

Taiwan, still struggling not to tell America to go find a cliff to jump off, calmed herself.

"Sorry, he's confined to bed at the moment. His wounds are to bad for him to even attempt to sit up, much less walk down here and talk to you."

Taiwan didn't bother to keep the hint of rage from her voice.

America exhaled slowly.

"Will you tell him I'm sorry?"

"No. You can tell him yourself. Goodbye."

Taiwan hung up before America could attempt to object.

Deflating slightly, Mei Mei walked back to the couch in Kiku's living room and fell onto it, closing her eyes and covering her face with her forearm.

She's sprinted halfway across a continent (nation speed helped out, of course) to come to the aid of her badly injured brother who she'd not so much as spoken one kind word to in decades. She'd somehow reconnected to him, so much as to snap and defend him against someone she knew had no other choice.

All that could really tire a girl out.

* * *

The twins had finished speaking with Kiku, and now Yong Soo and Hyung Soo exited the room. Yao was surprised to see how they walked close to each other, their hands often brushing with neither flinching at the touch. They were whispering to each other, but not in a serious, tense way. It was relaxed, they would chuckle about one thing or another.

Yao knew that, now, at least one issue in his family was fixed. Though perhaps not politically, not in the world they all knew and were to represent, but inside this small house in a peaceful forest, the two were brothers once again.

Taking a deep breath, Yao knew it was his turn, and he stepped through the door. He expected angry words, or frantic apologies, or even just dead, cold silence. He got silence, but this was only because Kiku had fallen asleep. Exhaustion edged his features even as he rested, and his breaths were short and quick.

 _All of his little siblings showing up to take care of him, and talking to each one of them, it took a lot out of him._

Yao knelt down next to Kiku's low to the ground bed and watched him for a moment or two. Finally, after a slight hesitation, Yao reached forward and brushed the bangs from Kiku's face. His eyes were closed and his expression was that of one dreaming peacefully. Yao smiled, tilting his head to one side as he looked down at his little brother. The first one he'd ever found, alone out in the bamboo. It seemed so cruelly ironic that this nightmarish event had to occur to draw them all under the same roof once again. Yao sighed at the thought, shoulders drooping.

He put a hand over Kiku's, and gave himself a moment with his sleeping brother, the world around them was still chaotic, still dangerous and ever shifting, but despite it all Yao loved Kiku. He was the oldest in Asia, and he'd found a family, built one up all around him. Later on DNA had proved that the relations were real, not simply titles.

"You know, I wish I could hear you call me 'Gege' again. Just once. It would make all of these years of pain and separation almost worth it."

Yao said with a lowered voice.

He sat for a few more moments, before coming to a stand and walking out the door.

* * *

 ** _This story is getting a bit longer then I meant, but I'm sure no one really minds. Please favorite, please follow, please review! Thanks!_**


	6. Together

_**Alright, final chapter, I hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

As Yao came down the stairs, he saw an exhausted looking Mei Mei sitting on the couch, head hanging back with an arm over her eyes. Yao assumed she'd just finished the phone calls.

"America, aru?" He guessed.  
"I'm just...so confused about who to defend. I obviously feel defensive of Kiku. Through all of this nonsense, he is my brother. But still, Kiku did terrible things. America did terrible things." Mei Mei spoke as she dropped her arm from her face and straightened up.

"I did terrible things too, aru. War makes good people, and good countries, do bad things."

Yao said softly as he sat down next to his only sister.

Yao put an arm around Mei Mei's shoulders.

"It'll all turn out ok. I've been around to see most of the worst wars in world history, I should know."

Mei Mei nodded.  
"Will Kiku be ok?"

She asked, leaning against Yao.

"Time will heal the wounds. I don't think time will take the memories. But he'll grow past it. We'll help him. After all, that's just what families are for."

* * *

 ** _Epilogue_**

* * *

Two days later, Kiku was awake more, and he was thinking far more clearly. After insisting that he was fit to move about fifteen times to each of his siblings individually, they agreed to help him down to sit in the living room.

He insisted that it was dreary, spending all day up in his room. Kiku was now propped up on the couch with the others, all of them had their eyes glued to Kiku's T.V screen, on which was a terrible soap opera none of them seemed to be able to tear their eyes away from.

At long last, Yao managed to get to ridiculous love triangle out of his head long enough to stand.  
"I'm going to get a snack, does anyone want anything?"

The twins were both seated on the floor, backs up against the couch, they shook their heads.  
"Nope, I'm good."

 _In perfect unison and they don't even notice..._

Yao thought to himself, smiling at the sight.

Mei Mei didn't respond. She was hugging a giant stuffed white ball thing with a face that she had called a 'mochi plush', and was so focused on the screen, Yao was pretty sure she'd rip the head off of anyone who got in between her and the television set.

Li Xiang was hugging a giant stuffed panda, cross legged, head resting on the panda's hand, and simply shook his head, he too was zoned in on the program.

Kiku glanced up from the T.V every so briefly.  
"Gege, could you get me a water bottle?" He asked, giving Yao an oddly warm smile that seemed out of place.

Yao stared at him for a moment, but Kiku just kept up the smile, looking up at him.

"Sure, aru."

Yao nodded finally and walked into the kitchen.

He'd just turned the corner when the words that Kiku had said processed.

Yao covered his mouth with one hand and leaned back to peer around the corner.

Kiku was watching the screen with a curious look on his face, not a hint of knowing that he'd just fulfilled the wish Yao had made aloud when he had been sitting with a supposedly 'sleeping' Kiku.

Yao's smile widened as he continued towards the kitchen.

The past was gone, and now, he was simply looking forward to the present day, he'd be spending it with his family, for the first time in decades. He would never forget the tragedy that started this, and he would never forget the war that had led up to it. Yet he still had to be thankful for what he had, here and now.

As such, he needed to get that water and snack quickly, he didn't want to miss out on a single moment, of the family time, or of that soap opera.

* * *

 ** _Ok, I had a very hard time writing this, and I really hope everyone liked it. If anyone has any comments whatsoever on this, I would be glad to here them. But no flames. Or I will get out my fire extinguisher. So, please review and let me know what you thought! Thanks!_** ** _Please review and let me know what you thought of this! I really really hope that you liked it! I had a very difficult time writing this, but a reviewer requested it, so, Jean, I hope I fulfilled your expectations. Thanks for reading!_**


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